Our second day in Latvia we will visit the historic city of Jelgava
and at the end of the day we will visit the National Library building in Riga.
Jelgava - The castle and the seat of the technical university
We don't mind getting up, there is a train to Jelgava every half an hour, so it doesn't matter when we get out. Eventually we make it after 9 o'clock and go straight to the main station where our train leaves from.
Tickets are bought at the ticket office. Riga has a very well-developed network of suburban S-Bahns that radiate out from the city in all directions. Likewise, the fare is zonal and very reasonably priced. In other words, it's a joy to travel around Riga by train. We buy a return ticket straight away, which is a few cents cheaper. After a successful purchase we go straight to the platform. Due to the reconstruction of the station, access to it is not easy. The backbone of the suburban railways is the ER2 electric unit, mass-produced in Riga for the entire Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russians copied it and produced it on their territory for a few more years. The Riga plant did not survive the transition to capitalism and went bankrupt. For us, driving this unit is also a historic moment, because from next year these units will be gradually replaced by the Latvian version of the Regiopanters from Skoda Transportation. The practical disadvantage of Riga station is that the information board on the platform shows on the first line where the nearest train is coming from and on the second line the information about the departing train. This is quite confusing because if you don't know the destination, you don't know if the train that arrived is yours or not. You have absolutely no way of knowing and, like us, cannot be sure if you are getting on the right train. Another minus is that although the train runs for an hour, not a single toilet is working. This is something you need to prepare for before you travel.
Riga - Main Railway Station
Riga - ER2 unit
Riga - Interior of the ER2 unit
So we assume that we are on the right train, and for these units, with a classic jerky start, we are on our way. Just after the station we drive onto the railway bridge and cross the vast Daugava River. The journey takes about half an hour and passes quite quickly. Jelgava railway station is quite far from the city centre. On the way to our main destination, Jelgava Castle, we come across a restaurant where we have a cold one for about 4.5 Euros in the morning.
Jelgava - Railway Station
Jelgava - Cathedral of St. Simeon and St. Anne
After that, we continue directly to Jelgava Castle, which today serves as a university and is located on one of the islands of the Lielupe River.
Jelgava - The castle and the seat of the technical university
Behind the castle is the Lielupes palienes plavas nature reserve, where a herd of about forty wild horses graze freely. There is a lookout tower in front of the entrance to the reserve, and this is our destination. From it you can see the whole reserve and catch a glimpse of the herd of wild horses.
Jelgava - Lielupe floodplain plains reserve
We go back to the castle, cross the road and get to the second island, which is used for recreation by the locals. There are sandy beaches, a park and a concert hall. All nicely and modernly landscaped.
The island is our last destination in this city and we return to the train station and take the next train back to Riga. Right next to the station is the Lido Canteen where we have a late lunch, almost to the point of calling it dinner. I have a soljanka, which they don't do very well here, and plov. After the meal we go quickly to the market. It's after five o'clock and closing time is approaching. Also, about half of the stalls are operational. The best is probably the middle hall, where they sell various sweets and cakes, and we try a few of them. The last hall is dedicated to seafood. By this hour most of the stalls were closed, but we still managed to catch a glimpse of a few. Here you can also buy real caviar. You can tell by the price tag, which is in the hundreds of euros.
Riga - Abava Market
Riga - Abava Market
The last item on today's agenda is a visit to the National Library. It is located on the other bank of the Daugava River, where we decide to walk.
Riga - Railway bridge over the Daugava River
Opened in 2014, the majestic building known as the Castle of Light is the largest library in Latvia. We were quite lucky because it is Friday, and it is open until seven. On Saturday it is only open until six and on Sunday and Monday it is closed, so I recommend planning your visit properly. The first floor of the library is freely accessible and there is an exhibition dedicated to Latvian literature and books in general. To access the upper floors, you need to register at the reception desk and store all your belongings, including your backpack, in the cloakroom. Everything is free of charge. The library has eleven floors, the last two being study rooms with a breathtaking view of the whole of Riga. These floors can only be reached by elevator. The other floors are devoted to different literary circuits, but access to the books is restricted to registered readers and not to visitors.
Riga - National Library Building
Riga - Interior of the National Library building
From the library we walk back to the hostel. On the way, we stop at our Rimi to buy breakfast and milk, because the hostel offers free cocoa, so it becomes our daily ritual to have cocoa in the evening. This is how we end the day. Tomorrow we will relax on the beaches of Jurmala.
Useful links:
Latvian Railways
Scheme of tariff zones of Latvian Railways
Lido restaurant chain
Central Hostel Riga
Hotels around Riga
Hotels around Jelgava
Flights to Riga
